Written Answers Wednesday 7 December 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants there have been for the single farm payment and, of these, how many have (a) had their payment confirmed but not yet paid and (b) received payment, broken down by local authority area.

Ross Finnie: As at 1 December, 21,924 claims have been submitted and of these, my officials estimate that 11,175 producers (51%) have been confirmed in the sense of passing eligibility checks. My department has not made any payments under the Single Farm Payment Scheme as yet so I am not able at this time to provide the breakdown as requested.

Agriculture

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the successful outcome of the appeal by my constituent, Richard Jenkins of Savisgarth in Evie, Orkney, against the calculation of his single farm payment, what steps are being taken to ensure that all sheep producers in similar circumstances are made aware of the implications of the outcome of this appeal.

Ross Finnie: My officials have reviewed the cases of sheep producers, in similar circumstances to Mr Jenkins. This covers producers who were in the Organic Aid Scheme who asked us to review their Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) entitlement estimate because of de-stocking of sheep. We have written to all those concerned and recalculated their SFP in their favour.

Cancer

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided to cover travel costs for cancer patients travelling to and from hospital for essential treatment.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided to cancer patients from areas without direct transport links to hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: Support for patients, including cancer patients, with travel to and from hospitals can be provided in a number of different ways. Where a patient has a clinical need for transport in order to access care or treatment their GP or hospital clinician can call on the Scottish Ambulance Service patient transport service.

  There are also two national schemes for the reimbursement of the travelling costs of patients travelling to hospital for treatment. They are the non-means tested Highlands and Islands scheme and a means-tested scheme covering the rest of the country. NHS boards also have discretion to reimburse reasonable travelling expenses incurred by patients not eligible under these statutory schemes. Boards are expected to exercise their discretion sympathetically, and to reimburse reasonable costs, in particular where patients are referred to hospitals outwith their own board area.

  In addition, voluntary transport services operate in most NHS board areas, many of which are supported by the local board.

Central Heating Programme

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive how many (a) households and (b) pensioners’ homes in the (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) East Dunbartonshire local authority area benefited under the central heating programme in (1) 2002-03, (2) 2003-04 and (3) 2004-05 and how many are expected to benefit in (A) 2005-06 and (B) 2006-07.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Eaga Partnership Ltd administers the central heating programme for pensioners’ homes in the private sector. However, in the private sector the information requested is not held by local authority area, but by main postcode. Therefore, it is not possible to supply the information requested in relation to installations undertaken by Eaga.

  The central heating programme is a demand led scheme, the number of installations in any particular area is dependent on the number of eligible applicants applying to the programme.

  In respect of those installations undertaken by local authorities and housing associations, the information requested is set out in the following tables.

  Central Heating Installations by Local Authority Area 2002-03 to 2004-05

  

 Local Authority
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 76
 54
 0


 Total
 76
 54
 0



  Replacement of Partial Central Heating Installations by Local Authority Area 2002-03 to 2004-05

  

 Local Authority
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 5


 West Dunbartonshire
 0
 3
 129


 Total
 0
 3
 134

Common Good Fund

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25757 by Peter Peacock of 23 May 2002, the report prepared for Audit Scotland in November 2004, which investigated complaints surrounding Scottish Borders Council's stewardship of its Common Good Fund by Scottish Borders Council, and Petition PE875 by Miss Mary Mackenzie in respect of common good assets, whether it now considers that there should be a Scotland-wide register and record of all moveable and heritable common good assets, including details of the local authorities that have the stewardship of the assets and providing easy public accessibility to the register.

Mr Tom McCabe: We have no plans to commission a national register of common good assets held by local authorities. It is the responsibility of local authorities as trustees to manage assets held for the common good according to sound asset management principles.

  All moveable and heritable common good assets which are the property of the local authority are accounted for within the audited accounts of each authority. Local authority accounts are subject to annual audits by Audit Scotland, and these are accessible by law to any member of the public. Any member of the public can access local authority accounts and performance outcome information under section 101 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, section 13 of the Local Government in Scotland 2003 and also under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

  All local authorities are also required, by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003, to adhere to proper accounting practice, including having in place asset management plans. These plans are intended to ensure sound financial stewardship of all assets including common good assets and I would support any moves by local authorities which provide greater transparency in their financial governance.

Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payments have been made by each local authority since the enactment of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, broken down by client group.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given in Tables entitled Number of Direct Payments by Client Group and Local Authority , for each of the years 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05, copies of which have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38290).

Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been assessed as requiring personal care but whose needs have been recorded as unmet since the enactment of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, broken down by local authority.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. The Health Department has recently begun an assessment of the implementation and operation of the policy of free personal care and information on unmet need will be collected as part of that exercise.

Council Tax

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether legislative changes are obliging local authorities to collect their first payment of council tax for the financial year 2006-07 in April rather than in May.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Regulations 2000 (SSI 2000/261) provide for local authorities to collect their first payment of council tax in April. Prior to this, the first payment was in May. This change in the statutory instalment scheme was one of the recommendations of a joint Scottish Executive/COSLA working group which reported in 2000 on ways of improving collection rates for council tax in Scotland.

Drug Misuse

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken since 1997 to reduce the incidence of (a) drug misuse, (b) injecting by drug abusers and (c) needle sharing in the (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) East Dunbartonshire local authority area.

Hugh Henry: As set out in the Scottish Executive’s national strategy Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership , it is for local drug action teams (DATs) and constituent partners to plan and deliver the full range of drug treatment and care services in line with local needs and priorities and to spend available resources accordingly. DATs report annually to the Executive through Corporate Action Plans which are published on the Drug Misuse Information Scotland website at: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/dat/dat.htm .

  Table 1 provides information from the Scottish Drug Misuse database on new clients entering treatment, reports of injecting, and sharing of needles from 1997-8 to 2003-04 for both East and West Dunbartonshire.

  Table 1a. East Dunbartonshire

  

 
 1999-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 New individual patients reported1,2
 32
 58
 132
 122
 100
 85
 101


 Injecting information available3 (=100%)
 31
 58
 130
 120
 83
 82
 99


 % Injected in previous month 
 32
 36
 48
 40
 47
 21
 35


 % Injected in past
 10
 12
 23
 17
 13
 23
 25


 % Never injected
 58
 52
 28
 43
 40
 56
 39


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Sharing information available4 (=100%)
 8
 14
 46
 41
 29
 10
 20


 % Shared needles/syringes in past month
 63
 71
 41
 32
 72
 20
 35


 % Shared needles/syringes in past (not previous month)
 25
 14
 15
 24
 7
 20
 20


 % Never shared needles/syringes
 13
 14
 43
 44
 21
 60
 45



  Table 1b. West Dunbartonshire

  

 
 1999-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 New individual patients reported1,2
 325
 362
 301
 298
 262
 308
 338


 Injecting information available3 (=100%)
 317
 356
 300
 293
 253
 295
 330


 % Injected in previous month 
 44
 45
 44
 42
 39
 45
 35


 % Injected in past
 20
 20
 22
 22
 19
 24
 29


 % Never injected
 37
 35
 34
 36
 42
 31
 35


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Sharing information available4 (=100%)
 119
 129
 117
 100
 75
 108
 108


 % Shared needles/syringes in past month
 26
 29
 26
 27
 35
 26
 27


 % Shared needles/syringes in past (not previous month)
 26
 31
 35
 43
 24
 23
 27


 % Never shared needles/syringes
 48
 40
 38
 30
 41
 51
 46



  Notes:

  1. New individual: any person who is attending for (a) the first time ever or (b) it has been at least six months since the last attendance at the service

  2. All figures in this table exclude peal establishment inmates and information received from needle exchanges

  3. Includes intra-venous, intra-muscular and skin popping.

  4. Refers to sharing "injecting equipment" for years 1997-98 to 200-01 and sharing needles/syringes fro 2001-02 to 2003-04.

Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to improve the performance of the poorest performing 20% of pupils at standard grade to bring them in line with the performance of other pupils in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The Executive is implementing a range of commitments set out in Ambitious, Excellent Schools to heighten expectations, strengthen leadership and raise ambition; give more freedom for teachers and schools; provide greater choice and opportunity for pupils and better support for learning and ensure tougher, intelligent accountabilities. This sets the framework for local authorities to enable all young people to achieve their full potential. West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire Councils are responsible for this within their local areas.

Elderly People

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce the proportion of older people on low incomes in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is tackling pensioner poverty in Scotland in partnership with the UK Government.

  Measures by the UK Government to reduce the proportion of older people on low incomes include pension credit, council tax and housing benefit, the winter fuel payment, the £200 council tax refund, and free TV licences. The Executive is taking a number of actions to help maximise disposable income. These include our central heating programme, free local off-peak bus travel (extending to a national scheme), and free personal and nursing care.

  The Scottish Executive is helping improve benefits uptake through a range of measures, including establishing a welfare rights officer in the Hillhead area of East Dunbartonshire, jointly funded from the Community Regeneration Fund and the Communities Scotland Wider Role Fund.

Environment

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties can be imposed, under existing legislation, on the occupiers of land who neglect to control injurious weeds that are adversely affecting other land.

Ross Finnie: An occupier who unreasonably fails to comply with a notice served under Section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 is committing an offence and may, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 of the standard scale (currently £1,000).

  Where an occupier fails to comply with a notice, the Weeds Act 1959 also empowers Scottish ministers to take control action and recover the costs of this action from the occupier of the land.

  Local authorities have powers under Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to serve notice requiring occupiers to deal with any land whose condition is adversely affecting the amenity of other land in their district. If the occupier fails to comply with the notice, the planning authority may take control action and recover the costs of the action.

Gaelic

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19904 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 November 2005, what the starting date will be of the proposed point of entry campaign in respect of Gaelic under the Executive's International Image Initiative.

Mr Tom McCabe: The existing campaign is due for renewal in June 2006. As part of the campaign review of activity, any future activity at Inverness will be reviewed and if implemented, would be in place from June 2006 onwards.

Gaelic

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19904 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 November 2005, what annual funding will be allocated to the proposed point of entry campaign in respect of Gaelic under the Executive's International Image Initiative.

Mr Tom McCabe: No decision has been taken to date, regarding funding allocation for the on-going Point of Entry campaign. Any decision will be taken in light of the campaign evaluation and also in the context of overall available budget and the wider International Image Project.

Gaelic

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19904 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 November 2005, what plans it has to extend dual Gaelic/English language activity in the proposed point of entry campaign beyond reflecting existing street signage arrangements.

Mr Tom McCabe: The point of entry campaign is proposed to be implemented on a rolling annual basis. As stated in the answer of 23 November 2005, "At present, activity is limited to Scotland’s airports. Existing materials are in English; however it is proposed that activity in Highlands and Islands, i.e. Inverness Airport will be updated with dual language activity in order to reflect existing street signage arrangements."

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the future of neurosurgery is in Aberdeen.

Mr Andy Kerr: As outlined in Delivering for Health , the neurosurgical unit in Aberdeen will form an integral part of a single Scotland-wide Managed Clinical Network for neurosurgical services.

  We are setting up an implementation group to take forward the detailed work needed to work out the detail of that service model. There will be widespread consultation before any final decisions are taken on the implementation group’s plans.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when an appeals process will be in place for people whose applications to the Skipton Fund have been declined.

Mr Andy Kerr: I regret the delay that has occurred in establishing the appeals procedure. However, I would like to assure you that the Department of Health, in consultation with the devolved administrations, has been developing procedures and has of course, discussed arrangements with the Skipton Fund. I can confirm that officials in the Department of Health have now established an appeals procedure, and are currently looking at ways to appoint members to the panel in order to allow appeals to be heard as soon as possible.

Health

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been introduced in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area to (i) ensure a reduction in (1) the proportion of women smoking during pregnancy, (2) the percentage of low birth-weight babies and (3) dental decay among five-year-olds and (ii) increase the proportion of women breastfeeding and whether any such measures have led to measurable improvements in these indicators in each area over the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not centrally held. The responsibility for implementing national health strategies at a local level primarily lies with NHS boards. I would suggest you contact NHS Argyll and Clyde for this information.

Health Promotion

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area have improved their health by (i) reducing (1) smoking and (2) alcohol misuse and (ii) improving their diet and what reduction there has been on mortality rates from coronary heart disease in each year since 1996.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is taking a number of actions aimed at improving health for children and young people, including all our work to tackle smoking. One of the main factors in smoking prevention for young people will be the introduction of the smoke-free public places legislation in March 2006. This will help de-normalise smoking in Scottish society and help protect young people from the health risks associated with second-hand smoke. In respect of diet, we have mature policies in place. Hungry for Success  ensures healthier school meals with minimum nutritional standards are available to school children and we are providing free fruit to primary school children. In addition, reducing harmful drinking by children and young people is one of the key priorities in our Plan for Action on Alcohol .

  (i)(1) Smoking:

  The following table shows the percentage of cigarette smokers aged 16 years and over in East and West Dunbartonshire between 1999-2000 and 2003-04.

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire


 1999-2000
 31
 22


 2001-02
 33
 19


 2003-04
 30
 18


 % change 1999-2000 to 2003-04
 -3
 -18



  Source: Scottish Household Survey.

  Note: The earliest data which are available from the Scottish Household Survey is for 1999. There is no available source which provides sufficient numbers to extract meaningful results prior to this. The sample is designed to provide data for each local authority over a two year period.

  (i)(2) Alcohol Misuse:

  Information on discharges from general acute and psychiatric hospitals with a diagnosis of an alcohol-related condition during 1996-97 to 2001-02 is shown in table 1. Complete data on psychiatric discharges is unavailable for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05. Table 2 shows the information requested from 1996-97 to 2004-05 for discharges from general acute hospitals only.

  Table 1: Scottish Hospital1,2 Discharge Records for West and East Dunbartonshire Residents with an Explicit Diagnosis3 of an Alcohol-Related Condition: 1996-97 to 2001-02

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire


 1996-97
 689
 508


 1997-98
 777
 507


 1998-99
 858
 564


 1999-2000
 1033
 576


 2000-01
 990
 568


 2001-02
 947
 502



  Source: SMR01 andSMR04.

  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units (but excludes maternity hospitals).

  2. Information on hospital discharge relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the above table. Transfer cases have also been included.

  3. The recording of alcohol misuse may vary in different hospitals. Where alcohol misuse is suspected but unconfirmed it may not be recorded by the hospital.

  Table 2: Scottish General Acute Hospital1,2 Discharge Records for West and East Dunbartonshire Residents with an Explicit Diagnosis3 of an Alcohol-Related Condition: 1996-97 to 2004-05

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire


 1996-97
 526
 437


 1997-98
 587
 436


 1998-99
 659
 502


 1999-2000
 846
 524


 2000-01
 817
 518


 2001-02
 781
 459


 2002-03
 921
 480


 2003-04
 940
 489


 2004-05P
 1034
 536



  PProvisional.

  Source: SMR01.

  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals (excludes maternity hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units).

  2. Information on hospital discharge relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the above table. Transfer cases have also been included.

  3. The recording of alcohol misuse may vary in different hospitals. Where alcohol misuse is suspected but unconfirmed it may not be recorded by the hospital.

  (ii)(1) Diet:

  There is no information available in sufficient numbers to provide meaningful information at local authority level.

  (ii)(2) Coronary Heart Disease Mortality:

  Information on mortality from coronary heart disease in each year since 1996 is shown in the following table.

  Crude Death Rates1 Per 100,000 Population for Coronary Heart Disease2 Within West and East Dunbartonshire: 1996 to 2004

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire


 1996
 324.2
 228.7


 1997
 339.3
 203.1


 1998
 286.5
 188.9


 1999
 291.3
 192.3


 2000
 271.5
 188.7


 2001
 265.8
 167.2


 2002
 244.5
 176.1


 2003
 283.8
 162.7


 2004
 241.4
 153.9



  Notes:

  1. Registered deaths from the General Register Office for Scotland. The number of deaths is based on the date of registration and main cause of death.

  2. Diagnostic information is defined by using the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases 9th revision from 1996-1999 and 10th revision from 2000 onwards (ICD9 codes: 410-414; ICD10 codes: I20-I25).

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, how many NHS boards have dispensed with contract cleaners and replaced them with hospital cleaning staff, broken down by board and showing when such action took place.

Mr Andy Kerr: The current pattern of cleaning services provision is shown in the table.

  

 Trust
Service PatternIn House (I/H) or Contracted Out (C/O)
 Changes Since 1997


 NHS Argyll and Clyde 
 I/H 
 Royal Alexandra Hospital in house from 1/4/2003.


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 I/H (except for East Ayrshire Hospital which is contracted out)
 


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 I/H
 


 NHS Lothian
 I/H (Apart from Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh which is contracted out)
 Lothian University Hospitals C/O 97, I/H 2000 (RIE Lauriston Place I/H 2000). Royal Edinburgh Hospital I/H since 2000.


 NHS Borders
 I/H
 


 NHS Fife
 I/H
 Fife Acute Hospitals C/O 97, I/H 2002


 NHS Forth Valley
 I/H
 


 NHS Tayside
 I/H
 Tayside University Hospitals C/O 97, I/H 2002. Tayside Primary Care C/O 1995, I/H 1999.


 NHS Grampian
 I/H
 Contracted out services at Woodend Hospital and at Grampian Primary Care taken in house from 6/11/2005


 NHS Highland 
 I/H (except New Craigs Hospital)
 


 NHS Western Isles
 I/H
 


 NHS Orkney
 I/H
 


 NHS Shetland
 C/O
 


 NHS Lanarkshire
 I/H (except for Wishaw and Hairmyres General Hospitals who are contracted out)
 Monklands I/H since Oct 2002


 Trust
SERVICE PATTERNIn House (I/H) or Contracted Out (C/O)
 CHANGES SINCE 1997


 North Glasgow Division 
 I/H (except for Glasgow Royal Infirmary & Canniesburn Hospital)
 Stobhill Hospital I/H since May 2002


 South Glasgow Division 
 I/H
 Victoria Infirmary IH since Nov 2002


 Yorkhill Division
 I/H
 


 Greater Glasgow Primary Care 
 I/H
 Gartnavel Royal I/H since Oct 2001

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, how many NHS boards have created and filled a post of Director of Infection Prevention and Control, broken down by board and showing when such appointments took place.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no direct equivalent in Scotland of the English post of Director of Infection Prevention and Control. NHS boards were directed to appoint a dedicated infection control manager earlier this year. Funding from the £15 million Clean Hospitals budget has been made available to boards support this measure. Chief Executives have been asked to report on progress by the end of December 2005. Every NHS board currently has a nominated senior manager who has responsibility for infection prevention and control.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, what recent discussions have taken place with NHS boards regarding the installation of more wash basins in hospital wards and other hygiene facilities in relation to infection prevention measures.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish Health Facilities Note 30 – Infection Control in the Built Environment has recently been revised by the Property and Environment Forum as part of the Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force work programme. This document provides guidance on the provision of facilities, including wash hand basins. This note was issued to NHS boards in September 2005, and it is for boards to decide how these guidelines will be implemented locally.

  We allocated over £1 million of funding to boards in 2005 to ensure the provision of alcohol hand gel near every frontline bed in Scottish Hospitals. Boards have confirmed that this programme has been implemented.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, which NHS boards have demonstrated, by way of mandatory surveillance, a diminution of MRSA infection rates within their hospitals and clinics in the last two years.

Mr Andy Kerr: A national mandatory healthcare associated infection surveillance system was introduced in 2001 to monitor MRSA bacteraemias (blood infections). The surveillance is operated by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and it produces quarterly reports about the incidence (per thousand bed days) of blood borne MRSA. In the current HPS laboratory reporting system, rates are based on data from reporting laboratories and not for individual hospitals or clinics: one laboratory may therefore report aggregated information for several hospitals.

  From January 2005 a new system for reporting was introduced in Scotland and this has resulted in more accurate and complete reporting of MRSA bacteraemias.

  Data on the above is available at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/infectious/hai/MRSA_Scot.htm.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, whether it will provide a list of the members of the Ministerial Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force and their officially appointed specialist advisers, showing (a) name, (b) occupation and (c) places of employment.

Mr Andy Kerr: The membership of the Ministerial Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force is detailed in the following table. The HAI Task Force has no officially appointed specialist advisors.

  

 Name
 Occupation
 Place of Employment


 Dr David Steel
 Chief Executive
 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland


 Mr Tim Brett
 Director
 Health Protection Scotland


 Susan Brimelow
 Director of Healthcare Regulation
 Care Commission


 Mr John Gallacher
 Joint Secretary
 Scottish Partnership Forum


 Mrs Liz Gillies
 Director of HAI Initiative
 NHS Education for Scotland


 Mr John Glennie
 Chief Executive
 Borders NHS Board


 Dr Mary Hanson
 Microbiologist
 Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust


 Mr Robert Howe
 Head of Environmental Services
 South Lanarkshire Council


 Mr Paul Kingsmore
 Chief Executive
 The Property and Environment Forum Executive


 Mr Adrian Lucas
 Chief Executive
 Scottish Ambulance Service


 Mrs Audrey Mackenzie
 Deputy to Susan Brimelow/Professional Adviser
 Care Commission


 Mrs Maggie McCowan
 Senior Manager Infection Control
 Infection Control Nurses’ Association (Scotland)


 Mr Robert Masterton
 Medical Director
 Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust


 Dr Ken Oates
 Consultant in Public Health Medicine
 Highland NHS Board


 Mr Robert Peat
 General Manager
 Eastern Glasgow LHCC


 Mr Tom Reilly
 Public Involvement Representative
 Member of the public


 Mrs Marjory Russell
 Public Involvement Representative
 Member of the public


 Dr Charles Saunders
 Consultant in Public Health Medicine
 Fife NHS Board


 Mr Paul Wilson
 Director of Nursing
 Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals


 Mr Alistair Brown
 Head of Performance Management Division
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Dr Harry Burns
 Chief Medical Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Dr Peter Christie
 Senior Medical Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Dr Michael Cornbleet
 Senior Medical Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Professor Peter Donnelly
 Deputy Chief Medical Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mr Alex Killick
 Assistant Director: Partnership and Employment
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mr Paul Martin 
 Chief Nursing Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mrs Linda Middleton
 HAI Task Force Project Supervisor
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Dr Mini Mishra
 Senior Medical Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mrs Diane Murray
 Partnership and Employment Practice
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mr Ross Scott
 Policy Implementation and Development Branch
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mrs Margaret Tannahill
 HAI Task Force Leader
 Scottish Executive Health Department


 Mr Ray Watkins
 Chief Dental Officer
 Scottish Executive Health Department

Healthcare Associated Infection

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20483 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 November 2005, what the anticipated publication date is of the report of the work undertaken by the Ministerial Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Ministerial Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force is nearing completion of a three-year programme of work to improve prevention and control of HAI.

  A final report on the work completed by the HAI Task Force will be published in early 2006.

  In January 2006 we will embark upon a new programme of work which will continue through to 2008. Its main focus will be on the implementation of and monitoring of compliance with the outputs of the HAI Task Force and related Scottish Executive requirements to ensure these measures are firmly embedded into day to day practice in healthcare settings across Scotland. This work will be led by a restructured HAI Task Force.

Home Care

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of older people in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area received intensive home care in each year since 1996.

Lewis Macdonald: The percentage of older people in East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire local authority areas receiving intensive home care in the week ending 31 March each year since 1998 is:

  

 
 Year


 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 East Dunbartonshire
 0.6%
 0.6%
 0.7%
 0.7%
 0.8%
 0.8%
 0.8%
 0.8%


 West Dunbartonshire
 1.4%
 1.5%
 1.4%
 1.6%
 1.8%
 2.4%
 2.9%
 2.9%



  Notes:

  1. Older people means people aged 65 or over.

  2. Intensive home care means 10 or more hours per week.

  3. Data on intensive home care is not available prior to 1998.

Homelessness

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homeless children aged (a) under 12 months and (b) between 12 and 24 months have received the full set of immunisations for their age, expressed also as a percentage of all homeless children of these ages.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Homelessness

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homeless children under the age of five have (a) received all appropriate developmental checks and (b) a designated health visitor in the area in which they are temporarily housed, expressed also as a percentage of all homeless children of this age.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households with children have been in temporary accommodation in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive collects snapshot data on the number of households in temporary accommodation as at the end of each quarter. Data on households with dependent children have been collected since March 2001. Data on households in temporary accommodation, including numbers of households with dependent children as a percentage of all households, are available on-line in the publications section of the housing statistics branch reference site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref .

Identity Cards

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require individuals to hold an identity card in order to have a criminal record check and, if so, when this requirement will be introduced.

Mr Tom McCabe: If Scottish ministers wanted to make it compulsory for those using the services of Disclosure Scotland to hold an identity card or submit to an identity check through the National Identity Register, then this, according to Section 44 of the Identity Cards bill, would require an act of the Scottish Parliament.

  The Executive currently has no plans to require individuals to hold an identity card in order to have a criminal record check carried out or for any other purpose.

Information Technology

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase the number of households with access to the internet in disadvantaged areas of the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area and what evaluation has been undertaken of any past initiatives in this regard.

George Lyon: The Scottish Executive is no longer directly targeting specific areas in this way. However, a current policy review and consultation exercise will inform the development of a future digital inclusion strategy where the focus will be on making changes which can make a difference across the whole of Scotland.

  In 2002, the Scottish Executive provided around 2000 homes in Bellsmyre, a disadvantaged area in West Dunbartonshire with PCs, support and connection to the internet for one year. This was one of two areas selected to participate in this "Digital Communities" initiative. This initiative has now been evaluated and the findings are available from the Scottish Executive website for which a link is provided http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/dcfr.pdf.

Information Technology

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current criteria are regarding participation in the Home Computer Initiative.

George Lyon: The Scottish Executive’s Home Computer Initiative Framework Contract is open to all Scottish public bodies. A public body is one which receives 50% or more of its funding from the public sector and/or a Scottish public authority in terms of the Scotland Act 1998. It is a matter for each institution to satisfy itself as to whether it qualifies or not based upon the source of its income.

Information Technology

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive by which process the criteria regarding participation in the Home Computer Initiative were decided.

George Lyon: Under the terms of the Department for Trade and Industry’s Home Computer Initiative (HCI) policy, employers of all sizes across the public, private and voluntary sectors can implement a HCI scheme for their employees. The Scottish Executive procured a HCI Framework Contract on behalf of Scottish public bodies to minimise the legal and procurement effort required across individual organisations.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it is able to provide on what steps are being taken to resolve the disagreement between fingerprint experts in Aberdeen and the Scottish Criminal Records Office and whether it considers that such disagreement might jeopardise future court cases involving the Scottish Fingerprint Service.

Cathy Jamieson: The only known disagreement concerns an identification made by the Glasgow bureau in 1997, about which three fingerprint officers in the Aberdeen bureau published an opinion in 2005. This opinion had no impact on the case in question and has no implications for any current or future court cases where fingerprint evidence is used.

  Following that case, under the guidance and instruction of the Lord Advocate, more than 2,000 identifications made by the Glasgow bureau were verified by experts from the Metropolitan Police Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. In addition, Scottish fingerprint officers now have annual competency tests and are subject to a continuous professional development programme. The processes used are subject to internal quality assurance and to external independent audit under the ISO 9001:2000 Certificate to which the Scottish Fingerprint Service is accredited.

Justice

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to the use of Scottish airports for the transporting of US prisoners from US detention centres to countries where they might be subjected to torture.

Cathy Jamieson: My officials have discussed with UK Departments the allegations that Scottish airports have been used for the transportation of US prisoners to countries where they might be subjected to torture. UK officials have confirmed that Her Majesty’s Government is not aware of the use of UK territory or airspace for such purposes.

Ministerial Cars

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial cars have been sold since 1999 and for how much each was sold.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Government Car Service supports ministers in their official duties across Scotland. The number of Government Car Service vehicles that have been sold since 1999 and the cost each was sold for is shown in the following table.

  

 Year (April to March)
 Number of Cars Sold
 Selling Price (£)


 1999-2000
 0
 -


 2000-01
 8
1,203.00
1,253.00
1,303.00
4,753.00
2,803.00
3,553.00
3,553.00
3,927.12


 2001-02
 0
 -


 2002-03
 4
4,367.12
4,247.12
5,197.12
5,147.12


 2003-04
 4
3,547.12
3,797.12
3,897.12
3,947.12


 2004-05
 4
2,797.12
2,747.12
2,847.12
2,447.12


 2005-06 (to date)
 3
2,497.12
2,347.12
2,547.12



  The policy for replacing Government Car Service vehicles is subject to consideration of mileage and age; balancing the increasing maintenance costs of ageing vehicles against the capital costs of replacements. All Scottish Executive vehicles are sold through auction.

Ministerial Cars

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial cars have been purchased since 1999 and how much each cost.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Government Car Service supports ministers in their official duties across Scotland. The number of cars that have been purchased since 1999, and the cost of each car is shown in the following table:

  

Year (April to March)
Number of Cars Purchased
 Cost (£)


1999-2000
4
21,197.02
21,197.02
21,197.02
21,197.02


2000-01
13
15,680.00
15,680.00
15,680.00
20,660.34
20,660.34
20,660.34
20,660.34
16,762.37
16,762.37
16,762.37
16,762.37
16,762.37
16,762.37


2001-02
1
 23,776.05


2002-03
3
21,499.90
21,499.90
21,499.90


2003-04
4
21,813.43
21,813.43
21,813.43
21,813.43


2004-05
2004-05 cont
9
21,944.63
21,944.63
21,944.63
21,944.63
21,949.54
21,949.54
21,949.54
21,949.54
21,949.54


2005-06 (to date)
0
 -



  The policy for replacing Government Car Service vehicles is subject to consideration of mileage and age; balancing the increasing maintenance costs of ageing vehicles against the capital costs of replacements.

Ministerial Cars

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has cost to maintain ministerial cars since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The cost of maintaining Government Car Service vehicles since 1999 is shown in the following table.

  

 Year (April – March)
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Service/Repairs (£)
 12,775
 13,757
 26,470
 37,516
 32,363
 38,641



  The level of maintenance costs reflects both the number and the age of Government Car Service vehicles.

NHS Boards

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to compensate individual NHS boards for additional expenditure incurred as a result of the move to national tariff charging.

Mr Andy Kerr: National tariff charging is being introduced to NHSScotland on a phased basis from 2005-06 to cross boundary activity, i.e. activity carried out by a host board on behalf of patients who reside in other NHS board areas in Scotland. It is intended that the introduction of tariffs will create an incentive to increase efficiency by encouraging benchmarking between hospitals and boards and to improve the accuracy of financial data by ensuring better recording of both cost and activity data. (For 2005-06 tariffs will apply to cardiac surgery and orthopaedics).

  The overall financial impact of introducing tariffs to the selected activity will be nil across NHSScotland although at individual board level there will be a mixture of positive and negative financial impacts, depending on the level of activity against the selected procedures. The estimated financial impact of introducing tariffs will be relatively low compared to the total resources of NHS boards (i.e. less than 1% across NHSScotland) but boards with a negative financial impact may seek to have the application of the tariff reduced if it believes that has a disproportionate impact on their overall budget. Such requests will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

  Detailed guidance was issued to individual boards on 1 November outlining the implementation arrangements for the current financial year. Where boards intend to seek to have the application of the tariff reduced, they must have the full agreement of regional health partners and host boards before submitting a request to the Executive.

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospitals are in debt, showing the amount in each case.

Mr Andy Kerr: We do not hold information on the financial position of individual hospitals, only boards.

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were admitted to hospital on Christmas Day in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) reason for admittance.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in the table Christmas Day Admissions to Hospital by Health Board 1999 to 2004 . A copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38278).

  The table shows numbers of admissions to non-obstetric/non-psychiatric acute specialties on Christmas Day in each year from 1999 to 2004. The data are presented by health board of treatment, year and diagnosis category (based on principal diagnosis).

NHS Hospitals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people stayed in hospital overnight on Christmas Day in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The numbers of patients admitted to non-obstetric/non-psychiatric acute specialties on or prior to Christmas Day and discharged on or after Boxing Day are presented in the table. The data are broken down by health board of treatment and shown by year, 1999 to 2004.

  Number of Patients Staying Overnight in Hospital Between Christmas and Boxing Day, by Health Board of Treatment and Year: 1999-2004

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Argyll and Clyde
 1,009
 936
 951
 842
 819
 826


 Ayrshire and Arran
 823
 752
 778
 722
 745
 776


 Borders
 255
 231
 290
 271
 268
 244


 Dumfries and Galloway
 289
 214
 249
 272
 220
 182


 Fife
 631
 549
 562
 542
 541
 504


 Forth Valley
 500
 468
 476
 487
 464
 467


 Grampian
 1,250
 1,178
 1,131
 1,212
 1,107
 1,116


 Greater Glasgow
 2,559
 2,407
 2,376
 2,544
 2,525
 2,146


 Highland
 497
 486
 464
 540
 543
 501


 Lanarkshire
 1,024
 985
 1,140
 1,106
 1,087
 987


 Lothian
 1,746
 1,659
 1,635
 1,646
 1,577
 1,602


 Orkney
 31
 24
 37
 38
 29
 29


 Shetland
 21
 39
 29
 24
 22
 23


 Tayside
 1,058
 1,014
 979
 985
 897
 894


 Western Isles
 107
 104
 104
 90
 93
 68


 Scotland
 11,800
 11,046
 11,201
 11,321
 10,937
 10,365

NHS Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Workforce Information Strategic System (SWISS) project has achieved a national database holding over 60% of core data set workforce information.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Workforce Information Standard System (SWISS) Project Board was formed in early 2002. Its initial remit was "to commission a strategic system study with the objective of identifying model(s) which have the potential for addressing future workforce information requirements, taking into account the capabilities, both existing and potential of existing systems."

  As part of this work, a national database of core workforce information for those who are directly employed in NHS Scotland is being developed. The system is now in place and is capable of holding over 60% of the core data set. A questionnaire exercise to validate information held and collect new information began in the summer of 2005 (with a 40% (head count) return so far) and work is continuing to complete this.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost increase to the NHS has been between 1999-2000 and 2004-05 in respect of (a) medical secretaries, (b) record keepers, (c) health educators, (d) IT technicians, (e) financial managers, (f) caterers, (g) launderers, (h) cleaners and (i) all other staff and what proportion of the total NHS budget was spent on administrative staff in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2004-05, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS is a team operation. Staff such as those listed in your question, play a vital role in keeping a hospital running smoothly. Behind every nurse or doctor there is someone making sure their equipment works, that test results are processed accurately, that appointments are scheduled and that patient records are up to date. These staff groups also play a key role in planning better services for the future.

  Every member of staff in the NHS, regardless of their specialism, plays a vital part in saving lives in the modern NHS.

  Information on expenditure by NHS boards on the specific groups of staff requested is not collected centrally; however, information on the following groups of staff is available:

  

 Group
 Examples


 Specialists
 Consultant, Senior House Officer, Registrar


 Medical and Dental
 Medical Advisor


 Nursing - Trained
 Nurse Grades "C" – "I", Nurse Manager


 Nursing - In Training
 Student Nurse


 Nursing - Other
 Auxiliary


 P and T "A" - Para-Med.
 Dietician, Radiographer, Occupational Therapist


 P and T "B" - Para-Med.
 Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer, Medical Technician


 P and T "B" - Works
 Building Officer, Engineering Officer


 Administrative and Clerical
 Senior Manager, Medical Records, Medical Secretary 


 Domestic and Ancillary
 Porter, Gardener, Kitchen


 Tradesmen
 Electrician, Plumber, Joiner


 Other Staff
 Pharmacist, Chaplain, Other



  (Categories of staff are grouped to associate as closely as possible with the appropriate Whitley Council salary scales).

  Information on the costs of these groups of staff and the increase between 1999-2000 and 2004-05 is given in table 1 of NHS Staff Expenditure 1999-2000 and 2004-05, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38186).

  The staff figures are taken from Scottish Financial Return 15 which were completed by all boards and trusts and returned to the Scottish Executive Health Expenditure with their annual accounts.

  Proportion of NHS Budget

  It is not possible to identify exactly what each NHS board spends on administrative staff as there is no definition of this with which to collate information. However, expenditure on staff on administration and clerical pay scales has been used as an approximation although this may include staff who might not be considered administrative and conversely may exclude those who are paid on a different pay scale, such as senior managers.

  Another issue is that the budgets in 1999-2000 and 2004-05 are not directly comparable due to the introduction of resource budgeting in 2002-03. Therefore expenditure on administrative and clerical staff has been expressed as a percentage of total revenue expenditure for the two years in question in the table.

  

 Health Board
 Administration and Clerical Staff Costs


 1999-2000
 % of total Expenditure
 2004-05
 % of total Expenditure


 (£000)
 (£000)


 Argyll and Clyde
 22,966 
 6%
 37,373 
 6%


 Ayrshire and Arran
 19,015 
 6%
 33,834 
 6%


 Borders
 6,814 
 7%
 10,302 
 6%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8,648 
 6%
 13,516 
 6%


 Fife
 16,247 
 5%
 28,914 
 6%


 Forth Valley
 13,790 
 6%
 24,286 
 6%


 Grampian
 28,336 
 6%
 44,346 
 6%


 Greater Glasgow
 59,042 
 6%
 93,898 
 6%


 Highland
 12,390 
 6%
 22,827 
 7%


 Lanarkshire
 24,435 
 5%
 40,526 
 5%


 Lothian
 45,884 
 7%
 73,719 
 6%


 Orkney
 1,086 
 5%
 2,350 
 7%


 Shetland
 1,524 
 6%
 3,254 
 8%


 Tayside
 27,992 
 7%
 47,958 
 7%


 Western Isles
 2,009 
 5%
 3,719 
 6%



 290,179 
 -
 480,822 
 -

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for (a) an urgent and (b) a non-urgent scan in each NHS (i) hospital and (ii) board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available.

  In June this year, I announced a maximum nine-weeks waiting time for eight key diagnostic tests, including MRI, CT, ultrasound and barium scans, from the end of 2007. These standards apply to patients requiring routine scans; patients who need to be seen urgently will continue to be tested quickly according to their clinical priority.

  Information on waiting times for diagnostic scans is not collected centrally. The Health Department is currently working with the Information Services Division and NHSScotland to improve the collection and analysis of information about diagnostic waiting to enable NHS boards to manage, report and improve performance against the Executive’s commitments.

  Meantime, NHS boards are working to reduce diagnostic waiting times for patients through service redesign, investment in capacity and more efficient working to ensure that the standards will be met. Many NHS boards are making use of the MRI and CT scanning services provided by the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20542 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 November 2005, what the average number of prisoners who should have been held in an open prison but were not was in each of the last five years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20542 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 November 2005, what the (a) highest and (b) lowest number of prisoners awaiting transfer to the open estate was in each of the last five years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20542 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 November 2005, what the average length of time is that a prisoner awaiting transfer from a regular prison to the open estate must wait before such transfer is complete.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisons keep a current list of those prisoners agreed as eligible for transfer to an open prison. However, historical data is not retained to provide these figures.

Public Sector

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what service standards apply in respect of the timing of responses from public bodies, such as NHS Argyll and Clyde, to correspondence from MSPs and other elected members.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no national guidance for the timing of a response from public bodies to correspondence from MSPs and other elected members. However, the Scottish Executive would expect all public bodies to have agreed and published standards to responding to letters from the public, or their representatives.

  In the case of complaints about NHS services, we would expect NHS boards to reply within the 20 working day limit as prescribed by the NHS Complaints Procedures.

Ragwort

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties can be imposed, under existing legislation, on producers of crops such as hay and haylage who fail to prevent these crops from being contaminated by ragwort and whether the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill will affect these penalties.

Ross Finnie: Any feed or forage that contains ragwort is unsafe to feed to horses and other animals. The Agriculture Act 1970 and the Feeding Stuffs (Scotland) Regulations 2000 govern the sale of animal feed and forage. Regulation 14 makes it an offence to sell any material for use as a feeding stuff which is found, or discovered as a result of analysis, to be unwholesome for or dangerous to any farmed animal, pet animal or human being. The penalty for this offence would be a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000).

  Current proposals for the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill do not explicitly cover the production of animal feed. However, there are two sections in the draft bill that could be used to deal with this issue.

  The proposed section 20 of the draft bill would make it an offence to administer a poisonous or injurious substance to an animal, if the person administering that substance knows that substance to be poisonous or injurious. Knowingly feeding ragwort to an animal susceptible to ragwort poisoning would therefore be an offence. The definition of "poisonous or injurious" substance would certainly include ragwort fed to horses.

  The proposed section 22 of the draft bill would make it an offence to fail to ensure that the needs of animals are met and this would include ensuring that an animal is fed a suitable diet. Hay or haylage contaminated with ragwort and fed to animals susceptible to ragwort poisoning would not be providing the animal with a suitable diet. We would expect the person responsible for feeding the animal to check that the animal feed was suitable, if necessary removing any ragwort.

  The penalties for both these offences on summary conviction would be imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000) or both.

Scottish Executive Funding

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding per head of population each local authority has received in each year since the inception of the initiative.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38198) and covers Supporting People allocations including planned allocations for the next two years.

Scottish Executive Funding

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding each local authority will receive in 2006-07.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Supporting People funding each council will receive in 2006-07 is detailed in the table in the answer to question S2W-21095 on 7 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Funding

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Supporting People funding per head of population each local authority will receive in 2006-07.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38198).

Scottish Executive Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service vacancies in each grade it has advertised (a) only externally, (b) only internally and (c) simultaneously for both internal and external applicants in each of the last six years and how many external applicants have been recruited under (a) and (c) in the same time frame.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive fills posts through a variety of different methods, as appropriate, including internal and external recruitment and managed moves of existing staff. Where vacancies are advertised externally it is open to Scottish Executive staff who meet the relevant criteria to apply. The Scottish Executive does not centrally collect the information required to answer the question in the way it is broken down.

  The following tables show data held on the Scottish Executive human resources system for staff recruitment and moves, by grade, for the Scottish Executive core departments (i.e. excluding Scottish Executive agencies and associated departments) for each year since 2000. Table 1 shows the number of staff recruited externally. Table 2 shows the number of internal staff moves within the core departments, including those internally advertised and those filled through managed moves. Although the Executive does not hold information for all external and internal staff moves outwith the core departments, tables 3 and 4 show the number of staff moves for Scottish Executive agencies and associated departments where these are from or to the core departments.

  Table 1: Staff Assigned to the Scottish Executive Core Departments Recorded as Having a Method of Entry to Post of "New Recruit"

  

 Year
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
 B1
 B2
 B3
 C1
 C2
 C3
 NA*
 SCS
 Total


 2000
 245
 19
 53
 1
 179
 78
 20
 37
 2
 1
 8
 9
 652


 2001
 415
 19
 89
 1
 199
 90
 21
 59
 4
 0
 14
 13
 924


 2002
 157
 13
 52
 3
 210
 72
 19
 41
 1
 0
 9
 12
 589


 2003
 149
 5
 16
 1
 130
 61
 17
 68
 1
 0
 8
 3
 459


 2004
 67
 8
 11
 2
 144
 51
 13
 18
 3
 0
 6
 4
 327


 2005#
 63
 1
 13
 0
 65
 30
 8
 22
 1
 1
 11
 7
 222



  Table 2: Number of Staff who Moved Posts within the Scottish Executive Core Departments, by Year of Move

  

 Year
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
 B1
 B2
 B3
 C1
 C2
 C3
 NA*
 SCS
 Total


 2000
 37
 29
 191
 38
 144
 254
 111
 113
 28
 10
 7
 61
 1,023


 2001
 48
 31
 206
 40
 142
 265
 105
 145
 50
 8
 1
 41
 1,082


 2002
 56
 37
 219
 33
 148
 324
 110
 128
 27
 9
 1
 39
 1,131


 2003
 68
 37
 256
 31
 152
 303
 127
 131
 19
 7
 2
 46
 1,179


 2004
 45
 30
 205
 42
 132
 334
 146
 139
 63
 5
 5
 58
 1,204


 2005#
 26
 22
 122
 38
 63
 194
 87
 98
 20
 10
 4
 42
 726



  Table 3: Number of Staff who Moved to a Post in a Scottish Executive Core Department from a Post in a Scottish Executive Agency or Associated Department, by Year of Move

  

 Year
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
 B1
 B2
 B3
 C1
 C2
 C3
 NA*
 SCS
 Total


 2000
 13
 4
 53
 4
 32
 42
 11
 15
 9
 1
 1
 8
 193


 2001
 14
 5
 50
 4
 36
 39
 15
 13
 10
 2
 0
 4
 192


 2002
 13
 4
 59
 6
 48
 39
 18
 23
 7
 2
 1
 7
 227


 2003
 16
 9
 51
 6
 51
 59
 17
 29
 6
 0
 5
 5
 254


 2004
 14
 6
 56
 2
 47
 57
 23
 36
 7
 0
 4
 6
 258


 2005#
 10
 8
 52
 4
 25
 45
 6
 23
 4
 0
 5
 9
 191



  Table 4: Number of Staff who Moved from a Scottish Executive Core Department to a Post in a Scottish Executive Agency or Associated Department, by Year of Move

  

 Year
 A1
 A2
 A3
 A4
 B1
 B2
 B3
 C1
 C2
 C3
 NA*
 SCS
 Total


 2000
 11
 10
 34
 4
 29
 34
 16
 26
 14
 1
 3
 5
 187


 2001
 13
 3
 48
 3
 30
 33
 12
 16
 6
 1
 1
 7
 173


 2002
 10
 8
 47
 5
 33
 51
 19
 32
 9
 3
 0
 3
 220


 2003
 11
 6
 50
 1
 33
 45
 21
 33
 8
 3
 4
 1
 216


 2004
 13
 14
 66
 5
 33
 57
 23
 39
 11
 3
 1
 7
 272


 2005#
 7
 7
 36
 3
 25
 53
 17
 29
 8
 2
 5
 7
 199



  Notes:

  #Moves up to 30 September 2005.

  *Not assimilated i.e. no Scottish Executive grade.

Tattooing and Skin Piercing

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with plans to regulate tattooing and skin piercing.

Mr Andy Kerr: In 2001 the Scottish Executive consulted key stakeholders in public agencies, representative bodies, and tattooing and skin piercing businesses, about the possible tighter regulation of these businesses.

  An independent analysis of the responses was prepared and was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on 9 October 2001 (Bib. number 16633). In the light of the consultation, the Executive concluded that further controls of tattooing and skin piercing activities are advisable in order to reduce the risk of transmission of blood-borne infection.

  An order, which is subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, has today been laid before the Parliament. This will provide for, a mandatory licensing regime, supported by monitoring and non-compliance penalties. The order will also introduce the requirement for written parental consent for skin and body piercing of children aged under 16 years.

Voluntary Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with voluntary sector organisations in respect of their assessment of the effectiveness of the Scottish Compact.

Malcolm Chisholm: In partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) on behalf of the voluntary sector, the Scottish Executive commissioned GEN Consulting to develop a framework and collect core baseline monitoring data to assess the implementation of the principles of the Scottish Compact. The results were presented and discussed at the Scottish Executive/Voluntary Sector Forum in November 2004.

  The forum, which is jointly chaired by the Minister for Communities and the Convenor of the SCVO, plays a crucial role in improving dialogue and understanding between the Scottish Executive and the sector. It meets twice a year and brings together ministers, Scottish Executive officials and representatives from the voluntary sector. Compact implementation and assessment features as an agenda item for discussion at each forum meeting.

  The results from the Baseline Research have helped to inform the compact implementation process and on-going priorities taken forward by the Scottish Executive and the voluntary sector.

Young People

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of young people have (a) been smokers between the ages of 12 and 15, (b) fallen pregnant between the ages of 13 and 15 years and (c) committed suicide in (i) Scotland and (ii) the (1) West Dunbartonshire and (2) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to improve the health of young people through reductions in (a) smoking by 12 to 15-year-olds, (b) the incidence of teenage pregnancy among 13 to 15-year-olds and (c) the rate of suicides among young people in the (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 1997.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is taking a number of actions aimed at reducing smoking in young people. These include considering the evidence for raising the age for purchasing tobacco from 16 to 18-year-olds; reviewing prosecution policy to allow evidence obtained by test purchasing to be admissible in court; working with retailers to raise their awareness of their legal responsibilities on age-related sales, and smoking cessation pilots offering advice and support to young people on stopping smoking.

  However, one of the main factors in smoking prevention for young people will be the introduction of the smoke-free public places legislation in March 2006. This will help de-normalise smoking in Scottish society and help protect them from the health risks associated with second-hand smoke.

  The Executive is committed to reducing the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies within the national sexual health strategy Respect and Responsibility. The National Sexual Health Advisory Committee is supporting implementation of the national strategy with the involvement of both statutory and voluntary agencies working in the sexual health field. Local initiatives are for NHS boards to plan within their own sexual health strategies.

  The Executive’s Choose Life suicide prevention strategy and action plan was launched in December 2002 and identified young people as a priority group for action. Each local authority area in Scotland has its own Choose Life Action Plan, including East and West Dunbartonshire. Full details of each plan can be viewed on www.chooselife.net.

  (a) Smokers between the ages of 12 and 15

  The information for smokers between the ages of 12 and 15 is given in table 1, which shows regular smoking by age and by gender for the survey years between and including 1996-2004 at national level. The proportion of young people smoking regularly in Scotland has been provided since 1982.

  Information on young people smoking in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire is shown in table 2. Local level information is only available for 2002. However, new local data will be available in early 2007.

  Information on other categories of smoking i.e.: tried once, occasional and ex-smoker, is available at http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus.htm.

  Table 1: Percentage of Regular Smokers1 by Age and Gender for the Survey Years Between and Including 1996-2004, Scotland

  

 
 1996
 1998
 20002
 2002
 20043


 Boys
 
 
 
 
 


 12 years
 5
 3
 2
_ 4
_


 13 years
 8
 9
 5
 6
 5


 14 years
 21
 14
 12
_
_


 15 years
 30
 25
 15
 16
 14


 Girls
 
 
 
 
 


 12 years
 4
 4
 2
_
_


 13 years
 10
 11
 10
 9
 7


 14 years
 21
 19
 22
_
_


 15 years
 30
 27
 24
 24
 24



  Notes:

  1. Usually smoke at least one cigarette a week.

  2. Smoking, drinking and drug use biennial school surveys (1982-2000).

  3. SALSUS (2002-04).

  4. Data for 12 and 14-year-olds (S1 and S3) was not collected.

  Table 2: Percentage of Regular Smokers1,2 in West Dunbartonshire and East Dunbartonshire

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire
 Scotland


 13 year olds
 7
 6
 8


 15 year olds
 21
 14
 20



  Notes:

  1. SALSUS 2002.

  2. Information is available locally either by age or by gender.

  (b) Fallen Pregnant Between the Ages of 13 and 15

  Comprehensive information on teenage pregnancies, broken down by age and by both NHS board and local authority area, is published by the Information and Statistics Division of National Health Services Scotland and is available electronically at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=2106&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&

  (c) Committed Suicide

  The following table shows deaths by intentional self harm per 100,000 population in persons aged 10 to 24 and are presented as a three year moving average, as the rates are based on very small numbers of cases. This can help to reduce the effect of potentially misleading large fluctuations in rate which can result from small increases or decreases in actual deaths from intentional self-harm. However, given the small number of deaths in each local authority area, the rates should still be interpreted with caution.

  

 
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire
 Scotland


 1997-99
 11.0
 8.2
 9.1


 1998-2000
 7.4
 9.7
 10.2


 1999-01
 7.4
 6.4
 10.5


 2000-02
 11.1
 6.4
 10.1


 2001-03
 11.0
 6.4
 8.8


 2002-04
 14.5
 8.0
 8.2